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The following information was provided by Jim Kleopfer. It describes a Henning line which appears to be related to the Robert Henning line.
Letter from Mary Elizabeth Henning
Chicago, Illinois 60614
June 24, 1990
Dear Miss Middleton,
Your name was given to me by Jim Kleopfer. Last summer I was in Scottsburg looking up records of the family at the courthouse annex and met Elsie Sharp who directed me to Jim. I recently sent him a few items I had come across and asked for information on descendants of Elizabeth Henning Kennedy and Nancy Henning Middleton.
My great-grandfather was Mathew Henning (see enclosed sheet #1). My grandfather tried to locate relatives in Ireland in the early 1900's and I have enclosed a copy of a letter he received in 1914 from a William Henning, in Ireland (sheet #2). I have made contact with the grand-daughter of this William Henning and have enclosed a copy of her letter (sheet #3). This all becomes rather confusing!!!
According to my great-grandfather's naturalization papers he came to America in 1832 to New York. I have not been able to find any passenger lists with his name yet. He eventually settled in Jennings Township in Scott County. The rest of the family seemed to settle in Lexington Township. I have been trying to find information about the family before they left Ireland, but there are no church records for that time, in fact many civil records have been destroyed.
I would appreciate any information you may have about the family, Henning or Middleton. I agree with Jim and Elsie that they all came from the same area of County Down. I keep hoping to find a family bible somewhere.
I can see why my great-grandfather settled in southern Indiana, the area is very beautiful, my mother and I enjoyed our trip very much. I hope you will be able to make sense of all this.
Sincerely,
Mary Elizabeth Henning
Handwritten family tree from Mary Elizabeth Henning
Robert Henning (b. 1761 or 1762, d. August 19, 1851) married Elizabeth Gray (b. 1767 or 1768, d. September 11, 1853)
Children:
Mary (b. 1792 or 1793, never married)
Elizabeth (b. 1795 or 1796, married William Kennedy)
John (b. 1799 or 1800, married Elizabeth Blair)
Matthew (b. 1805, married Nancy Swan
Nancy (b. July 9, 1807, married James Middleton)
Margaret (b. 1811, married John Hall)
William (b. ?, I have no information except land purchase)
Children of Matthew Henning and Nancy Swan:
Jane
Robert
John Lindsey (b. 1849, d. 1931, married Elizabeth Mitchell
Mary Elizabeth
Children of John Lindsey Henning and Elizabeth Mitchell
Ruth (b. 1894, d. 1987)
John Lindsey, II (b. 1900, d. 1989, married Rowene Helm)
Children of John Lindsey Henning, II and Rowene Helm:
John Lindsey, III (b. 1951)
Mary Elizabeth (b. 1956, author of letter)
The letter refers to a copy of a letter which her grandfather received in 1914 from a William Henning of Ireland. Her grandfather had apparently tried to locate relatives in Ireland. The 1914 hand written letter (I only received three pages - there may have been more) was transcribed as follows:
never heard of …. The Civil War he was down South and brother Matthew never heard from him again. Evidently he was slain. Matthew died in Indianapolis in the year 1892. He left Ireland at the age of nineteen, Mr. …… Henning, Rathfriland is no relative of ours and ……. That it is very probable that me and my family are the surviving relatives of yours consideration. Have come to the conclusion that I and my family are the only surviving relatives to you and your family. For instance, I have often heard my father talk about his Uncles John and Robert who inhabited the humble dwelling where me and my family now reside. They went to America . They had a brother Matthew who I remember faintly. He lived to be a hundred years old, 100 years old. He was known to me as "Grandfather Henning". All my brothers and sisters went to America except myself. Their names are as follows "viz.": Matthew, James, Robert, John, Elizabeth, Sarah, Nancy, Mary. They are all dead but Mary and myself. Mary is living in Troy, N. Y. The eldest of father’s family were Matthew and James. The latter was
It had a "post-it note" attached (apparently written by Mary Elizabeth Henning in 1990) which contained the following:
There is a Matthew and James listed in my great grandfather’s household - 1850 census
Matthew, Jr. Age 19
James Age 17
Letter (typed) from granddaughter of William Henning - Davina Davis:
Co. Down. N. I.
Dear Mary Elizabeth,
At long last I have got down to writing you regarding our ancestors. I have been trying to piece together the information gleaned from this side and also from the copy of my grandfather’s letter (William Henning) which has thrown a lot of light on his grandfather and I find his letter very useful in sorting some of this out.
Please go back to his letter where he stated his grandfather was called Matthew whom he faintly remembered and lived to be 100. Now my grandfather was born may 23, 1854 leaving his grandfather (Matthew) born approx 1754. He also said in his letter that his father (who was called John) talked about 2 uncles called Robert and John who emigrated to U. S. A. leaving them brothers of Matthew.
That is John, Robert, and Matthew all brothers.
Now you say Robert was born 1761.
I say Matthew was born 1754. These dates would correspond for them to be brothers and still leave room for other brothers and sisters which I am sure they had one of them being possibly Mary who you mentioned emigrated also. Your family followed the line of Robert.
My family followed the line of Matthew who is definitely my great great grandfather. His son John is my great grandfather. John’s son William is my grandfather . It would appear from your first letter to me dated April 1, 1989 that Matthew born 1805 emigrated to U. S. A. 1832 also his father and mother and aunt Mary same time which would leave these 3 old people setting sail in their 70’s which seems rather strange as in those days people were considered old in their 50’s but it is possible. Anyhow assuming this is all correct I have set out a family tree as I see it, I know for sure all the information I have given about the Matthew line is correct.
Please forgive me for not answering sooner and thank you for the picture you sent of Matthew. Next time you write please send me the family on your side starting at yourself and going back as far as you can and include dates back to Matthew born 1805 and is the one whose picture you sent. (Handwritten: Please disregard this as you have already sent me this information in your last letter. Sorry, sleep is overcoming me.) Must close now Mary Elizabeth as I started this about 11:00 p. m. and it is now Mon morning 1:30 and I am beginning to make a lot of typing errors.
Do write soon and include a picture of yourself.
Sincerely
Davina
Based on this it appears that Robert, Mathew, John, and Mary were siblings, all born in Northern Ireland in the mid-eighteenth century. This is Matthew Henning's line.
Descendants of Matthew Henning
1 Matthew Henning Born: Abt 1754 in Ireland
2 John Henning
3 Matthew Henning Died: 1892 in Indianapolis, Indiana
3 James Henning
3 Robert Henning Born: 1841 Died: 1881
3 John Henning
3 Elizabeth Henning
3 Sarah Henning
+McCuaig
3 Mary Henning
+Hollingsworth
3 Nancy Henning Born: May 23, 1843
3 William Henning Born: 1854 Died: 1934
4 Sarah Henning Born: 1888
4 Robert John Henning Born: 1889
4 Matthew Henning Born: 1891
4 Mary Elizabeth Henning Born: 1893
4 William Arthur Henning Born: 1894
4 James Henning Born: 1896
4 Clarence Henning Born: 1898
4 Martha Henning Born: 1901
+Kennedy Davis
5 Olive Davis Born: 1933
5 Davina Davis Born: 1934
5 Eileen Davis Born: 1936
5 Mabel Davis Born: 1941
5 Joan Davis Born: 1943
4 David Henning Born: 1905
4 Alfred Henning Born: 1908
Return to Halls and Hennings of Ireland